Slicing machine



April 9, 1940.

c. F. M. VAN BERKEL ,196,371

SLICING MACHINE Filed Feb. 15, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 a! Y m s: I i 3:

Patented Apr. 9, 1940 Y Nl'lfh stares SLICING MACHIN E Application February 15, weasel-n1 No. 64,149 In Great Britain February 19, 1935 12 claims. (01. 145-102) This'invention, relates to slicing machines of the type in which there is provided in association .With the slicing knife an abutment whose active face-is arranged parallel to and slightly beyond .5 the slicing plane.

, An abutment as aforesaid is generally used as a gauge for controlling the slice-thickness, and it is therefore adjustable to-and-from the slicing planeso that slices of any desired. thickness can be obtained; In slicing machines having such an abutment, thegsubstance tobe sliced is mounted on a'support having provision whereby it is or can be ied forward (automaticallyor manually) after. each slice-cutting operation to bring the leadingendof the substance against the abutment preparatory to the next slice-cutting operation.

. -It 'isalso known to use an abutment as afore said asga gauge. for positioning the substance 20, preparatory to the cutting of a succession of slices.. s

Abutments such as, heretofore in use consist of someform of rigid'plate, anda disadvantage of such .anabutment is that the substance 25 rubs against the face of. the plate as the sub-,

stance is moved towards and returned, from. the knife, so that undesirable-frictional resistance is caused which adds to the work of operating the machine. I 80 The main object of the present invention is I to avoid the aforesaid disadvantageby providing an abutment whose substance-engaging portion is movable, in unisonwithrthe substance, preferably by the substance itself.- In the use of such- 35 an abutment, there is substantially no rubbing .between substance and abutment, and the work of operating the machine is proportionately re- V duced.

Another object of the present inventionis to provide an abutment consisting of one or more flexible members, such as endless bands, belts or the like.

Yet, another object is to provide thrust-resist mg meansto support the substance-engaging portion of the abutment, particularly whensubjected-to the pressure-of the substance.

.,,Yet another object of the invention is to provide anabutment to be utilized in a slicing machine having slice-stacking mechanism and when 50 so utilized the travelling abutment can. be arranged to. function as the slice-conveyor of said mechanism and as such. to support the slice from the time whenit is being out until the time whenv itis .discharged by thegfly Such an abutrnent I would preferably be provided with small projections adapted to'enterthat portion of the sub-. stance to be severed as a slice. w

The foregoing objects are attained by the combinaticns of slicing-machine parts which will now be described, by way of example, with ref- 6 erence to the accompanying diagrammatic draw- I In the drawings: I i

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a slicing machine of simple construction having 'an abutment with 10 a movable substance-engaging face; 5

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation, drawn to a larger "scale than Fig. 1, showing' an assembly'of parts I of saidslicing machine-includingthe-abutment; and Fig. 3 is a section on the line II--II of Fig. 2.

Figs.'4 and 5 are corresponding sections of differen'tly. constructed slicing-machine-abutment assemblies; i

Fig. 6 is an elevation corresponding toFig. 2 but showing another differently constructed slicing-machine abutment assembly, and Fig. '7 is a section: on the line VIIVII of Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation corresponding to Figs. 2 and'6 but showing yetanother difierently constructed assembly. I r

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary elevation showing an alternative form of a gauging member.

' The slicing machine shown in Figil comprises mainly the following elements: a stationary base l; a carriage 2 for the meat or other substance to be sliced; a rotary circular knife 3, which is journalled at one sideofthe base and maybe motor driven; guides 4 on thebase; along which guides the carriage'can be reciprocated past the knife; 2. pivotallymounted combined pusher and the active portion of theedge thereof. A handle 5 8 on the element .Eiserves the dual function of means whereby the operator can reciprocate the carriage and feed the substance across the car,- riaga- Themachines slice receiver is denoted by9;'.

The abutment shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 consists of several endless flexible bands, or belts, l0 passing around diametrally reduced portions "ofvertical rolls H, l2 -disposedat'0pposite ends of the abutment. The front stretches of the bands Y I0 constitute the substance-engaging portion of the abutment, said stretches together presenting a composite face Illa (Fig. 3) located in a vertical plane extending parallel to the slicing plane of the slicing knife 3. v

The rolls II, I2 are journalled at their ends in a supporting frame consisting of top and bottom members I4, I5 and side members IS, IT. The bottom member is rigidly secured to a horizontal rod I8 and rests upon a guide-support I9. The rod I8 is slidable endwise in known manner under the control of a turnable handle I3, which is marked to indicate various slice-thicknesses. The support I 9 is rigidly fixed to the base of the machine. Thus, the arrangement is such that endwise adjustment of the rod I8 results in corresponding adjustment of the face Illa to or from the slicing plane of the knife 3, as indicated by the setting of the handle I3.

Since various modes of supporting slicing-machine abutments and various mechanisms for adjusting them to regulate the slice-thickness are known, further illustration and description thereof herein is unnecessary.

The side frame member I1 is provided with a fiat-faced plate 20 constituting a guide, one side of which is curved in conformity with the knife curvature andthe other side of which is formed with spaced lateral projections 20a adapted to fit into the spaces between adjacent bands Ill, so that in effect the plate 20 meshes with the abutment. The active face of the plate Zil is arranged in the same plane as that of the face Ina.

Vertical thrust-resisting rolls 2I are also journalled at their ends in the frame members I4, I5, said rolls bearing against both the front and rea stretches of the bands In.

In operation of a slicing machine equipped with the abutment assembly shown in Figs. 1 to 3, before each slicing stroke commences the substance is fed forwards until the end to be sliced off bears flat against the face Iila. The slicing stroke is horizontal and in the direction of the arrow A, Figs. 1 and 3. Accordingly, the moving substance constrains the front stretches of the bands Ill to move in unison with it during that part of the slicing stroke in which the substance bears against the face Illa. In consequence, rubbing between the substance and the abutment is more or less completely absent, frictional resistance due to the action between the substance and abutment is materially reduced and the work of operating the machine is proportionately reduced.

With the object of reducing to a minimum the effort required to turn the rolls II, I2 and 2|, these have been shown journalled in ball bearings 22. If desired, however, any other suitable bearings may be adopted instead.

The function of the plate 20 is to guide the substance in the immediate vicinity of the knife, it being impracticable to extend all the bands I0 close to the knifes edge because of the curvature thereof.

The function of the rolls 2I is to prevent flexure of the front stretches of the bands I 8 under the pressure of the substance.

Various modifications of the construction illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 can be made. For example, the bands could be dispensed with, the abutment in that event consisting of a series of vertical rollspreferably much more closely spaced than the rolls II, I2 and 2I-arranged to present a substance-engaging face. i

In the construction according to Fig. l, the

thrust-resisting means consists of a stationary plate 23 secured to a frame 24 in which the end rolls II, I2 are journalled.

In the construction according to 5, the thrust-resisting means consists of a series of small-diameter vertical rolls 25 bearing against only the front stretches of the bands ID, these rolls being journalled at their ends in a frame 25 in which the end rolls also are journalled.

With reference to Figs. 6 and 7, the abutment assembly therein illustrated is intended to be used with a slicing machine of the type specified having slice-stacking mechanism. Such mechanism comprisesa slice-conveyor, means for pressing each successive slice into secure attachment with the conveyer, and a fly for discharging the slice upon a slice-receiver. Since various constructions of such slice-stacking mechanism are known, it is unnecessary to illustrate the same in greater detail than in Figs. 6 and '7.

In the application of the abutment assembly to a slicing machine such as aforesaid, the abutment is arranged to function also as the sliceconveyer of the stacking mechanism.

The abutment-conveyer unit shown consists of an endless series of vertical bars or laths 30 to which are secured endless bands 3| arranged one above another. The ends 30a of the bars 30 are formed as shown to engage collars 32, at the ends of vertical rolls 33, and also thrust-plates 34 extending horizontally from collar to collar. These rolls would be journalled at their ends in a frame (not shown) in the manner already described with reference to Figs. 1 to 3. The bands 3| are provided with small sharp projections 35 adapted to enter that portion of the substance which is to be next severed as a slice.

The means for pressing each slice into attachment with the projections consists of the usual guide 36 (Fig. 7) stationarily fixed at the back of the knife edge and provided with horizontal grooves 31 at the levels of the projections 35.

The discharge-fly consists of an arm 38 formed with horizontal fingers 39 and secured to a rockshaft 40 adapted in known manner to impart a downward and rearward slice-discharging movement to the arm 38 at an appropriately timed instant in each cycle of operations of the machine. The arm 38 prior to its slice-discharging movement stands erect, as shown, with its fingers 39 extending along the spaces between the bands 3|.

In operation of the assembly, the substance exercises the same action on the abutment-conveyer unit 30, 3! during the slicing stroke as already described with reference to the abutment according to Figs. 1 to 3, and in addition the slice passing from the knife is pressed by the guide 35 upon the projections 35. The severed slice remains partially between the guide 36 and bands 3| during the machine's return stroke. During the next slicing stroke, the front stretches of the bands are again moved in the direction of the arrow A (Fig. '7) but the already severed slice is conveyed by the rear stretches in the direction of the arrow B into register with the discharge-fly, which would be erect awaiting the oncoming slice to discharge the same from the projections in the usual way upon the slicereceiver (not shown).

The construction according to Fig. 8 differs from that just described mainly in that the abutment-conveyer unit consists of a single wide band M of rubber or other flexible material.

The structure shown in Fig. 9 involves an ala; racism ternative ."form -of stationary guide plate "adja- 'cen't the edge of the knife. Thus,--in place of the plate shown in Fig. '2, for instance, there is provided the surface Zilbforming'the side of the gauging member adjacent the edge of 'theknife.

Herein the rollers [2,"however, are journaled in 2. The rollers 12' being separately journalled,

are axially offset in order to likewise, ini'effcct,

situate them also along 'the arc of a similar-circle and,'since'the projections 28c follow the same arrangement, the entire end of the gauging tion is applicable not merely to slicing machines such as shown inFig. 1, but to slicing machines in general Iclaim: 7 1 t 1. In a slicing machine including 'a'rotarycircularknife for cutting a substance into slices, a

normally stationary support adjacentsaidknife,

a guiding surface substantially co-planar with said face.

2. A slicing machine comprising a rotary circular knife, an abutment adjacent said knife,

means for moving a substance past said abutment for cutting by saidknife, said abutment comprising a normally stationary support, flexible means movably mounted on said support, said flexible means presenting a substance-engaging face Whose plane is substantially parallel to the knifes cutting plane, and a normally stationary guide on said support, said guide extending between said flexible means and the knife and presenting a guide surface in alignment with said face. I

3. A slicing machine as claimed in claim2, in which the flexible means therein defined comprises superposed endless flexible members and in which the normally stationary guide is formed to mesh with said members; I

4:. A slicing machine comprising a rotatable knife for cutting a substance into slices, a frame mounted adjacent said knife, means for moving the substance past said frame for cutting into slices by said knife, rolls journalled in said frame, movable endless flexible members supported by said rolls and arranged at different levels one above another, said members presenting to the substance a front face constituting a movable slice-thickness gauge, means to cause substance to abut said slice-thickness gauge and topermit the slices to be gauged thereby, projections on said endless flexible members for engaging the substance and retaining engagement with the slices cut therefrom, and a fly at the rear of said members for discharging slices therefrom, said fly liavlng fingers arranged "to extend between said members preparatory'to each slice-discharging operation. p I V 5. A slicing machine comprising a frame, a stationary rotatableknife-mounted in said frame .for cutting a substance into slices, a support norparallel to that'ofthe knife, means to cause the gauging'means 'to be engaged by the substance to gauge'the slice thickness thereof and move with the substance as it'passe's the support, said frame being provided with a guide-way for the support .ior guiding the support in a path toward and away fromthe plane of the knife, and adjusting means associated with the frame and support to permit adjustment of the gauging means.

'6. A slicing machine comprising a frame, a rotatable knife'mounted on said frame for slicing a substance,'anabutmen-t, a carriage mounted "on said frame 'for reciprocating movement across the cutting plane of the knife, said abutment, comprising-a support located adjacent the knife and havingagauging face generally parallelt'o the plane of the knife and movably mounted onthe support, a guide-way for said support operatively associated with said frame for permittingslidable movement of the support to and away from the cutting plane of the knife, adjusting means associatedwith the frame and support to permit adjustment of the abutment in predetermined gauging relationship, and feeding "means actuable across the plane of the knife and toward the abutment to permit feeding of the substanceon the carriage to contact said substanceagainst the gauging face to gauge the slice thickness whereby to cause the gauging face to mov'ewith the substance toward the knife. I

-7. A slicing machine comprising a frame, a stationary rotatable knife mounted for operation in a generally vertical plane, an abutment, a carriage having a generally horizontal supporting surface, said abutment comprising a support located adjacent the knife'and having a gauging face generally parallel to the plane of the knife and movably mounted on the support, a guideway for said support operatively associated with said frame for permitting slidable movement of the support to and away from the cutting plane of the knife, adjusting means associated with the frame and support to permit adjustmentof the abutment in, predetermined gauging relationship, and feeding means actuableacross the plane of the knife and toward the abutment to permit feeding of the substance on the carriage to contact said substance against the gauging face to'gauge the slice thickness whereby to cause the gauging face to move with the substance toward the knife, a

8. A slicing machine. comprising a frame, a rotatable knife mounted on said frame, a ganging abutment, said abutment comprisinga support'moun'ted on said frame adjacent said knife for relative and constrained movement to and from the plane of the knife, adjusting means mounted on the frame and 'operatively connected with the support to permit adjustment of the abutment to and from said plane of the knife, a carriage for supporting the substance for reciprocatory movement 'past said abutment and across the cutting edge of the knife, flexible means movably mounted on said support for relatively free motion in the plane generally parallel to that of the knife, and feeding means on the carriage for feeding substance in direct abutment with said flexible means to accurately gauge the thickness of the slice and to cause the said substance to frictionally engage the surface of the flexible means and cause said last named means to move with the substance toward the knife during said reciprocatory movement.

9. A slicing machine as claimed in claim 8, in which the flexible means therein defined comprises a plurality of endless members arranged one above the other.

10. A slicing machine comprising a frame, a rotatable knife mounted on said frame, a gauging abutment, said abutment comprising a support mounted on said frame adjacent said knife for relative and constrained movement to and from the plane of the knife, adjusting means mounted on the frame and operatively connected With the support to permit adjustment of the abutment to and from said plane of the knife, a carriage for supporting the. substance for reciprocatory movement past said abutment and across the cutting edge of the knife, said support comprising an abutment frame, rolls journalled in said abutment frame, flexible means supported by said rolls in a plane substantially parallel with that of the knife, and feeding means on the carriage for feeding substance in direct abutment with said flexible means to accurately gauge the thickness of the slice and to cause the said substance to frictionally engage the surface of the flexible means and cause said last named means to move with the substance toward the knife during said reciprocatory movement.

11. The combination with a slicing machine having a rotary knife, a substance support arranged for relative reciprocation in regard to the knife, feed means for feeding substance across the support toward the cutting plane of the knife, a gauge plate at one side of the knife slicing plane and against which the substance is abutted by the feed means and in contact with the gauge plate so as to out a slice of a predetermined thickness from the substance, means for moving the gauge plate toward and away from the slicing plane of the knife so that slices of different thicknesses may be cut by the knife from the substance, and movable means on the gauge plate, said last named means being movable by the movement of the substance during relative movement of the support when the substance on the support is in a position opposite the gauge plate and forced into contact with the gauge plate by the feed means whereby to overcome friction between the substance and the gauge plate and prevent bleeding of the substance.

12. The combination with a slicing machine having a rotary knife, a substance support arranged for relative reciprocation in regard to the knife, and feed means for feeding the substance across the support toward the cutting plane of the knife, of a vertical gauge plate positioned at one side of the cutting plane of the knife to gauge the thickness of the slice to be cut from the substance and against which the substance is abutted by the feed means prior to the cutting operation, and movable means on the gauge plate and movable by the frictional engagement of the substance abutted thereagainst during slicing movement by the relative movement of the support whereby the substance will slide freely over the movable means toward cutting position and rubbing of the substance against the gauge plate is overcome.

CORNELIS FRANCISCUS MARIA VAN BERKEL. 

